Changes to re-launch cruises

[trams]

Received e-mail from saga yesterday to advise that Scottish government have closed all Scottish ports to cruise ships until all of Scotland achieves Covid level 1 protection. Consequently the affected cruises are being "re-routed".

The cruise we are booked on due to sail on 3rd July will now cruise the south/south west coast of England. Lets hope Cornwall (Kernow) don't declare UDI.

 

[Windsurfboy]

2 hours ago, trams said:

Received e-mail from saga yesterday to advise that Scottish government have closed all Scottish ports to cruise ships until all of Scotland achieves Covid level 1 protection. Consequently the affected cruises are being "re-routed".

The cruise we are booked on due to sail on 3rd July will now cruise the south/south west coast of England. Lets hope Cornwall (Kernow) don't declare UDI.

 

 

After G7 we may want some peace and quiet 

[nosapphire]

In view of the delay in step 4 of the roadmap, I hope they sold the first three Discovery cruises on the basis of max 500 passengers, not the 800 they said in the publicity - be an awkward situation (for Saga) otherwise.

 

 

[nosapphire]

Ship will feel very spacious with only 50%.

https://travel.saga.co.uk/travel-updates/coronavirus-cruise-passengers.aspx

[Glenndale]

We have just returned from a 7 night cruise on Viking Venus.

There was approx a third of the capacity of 930 passengers on board. 

As well as the protocols that Saga have in place regarding mask wearing and excursions, everyone had to have daily temperature checks and fill in a questionnaire on the Viking app.

Additionally, everyone, staff included, had to provide a daily saliva sample for testing.

We felt very safe and didn't find the protocols too restrictive, not quite cruising as we know it but we had a very enjoyable break.

We are hoping that by the time our September Saga cruise comes around these restrictions will have been lifted.🤞

 

 

[LandC]

Glad you enjoyed your Viking cruise Glenndale.  We’re tempted to try them.  How did they compare to Saga in terms of dining, entertainment, crew, enrichment lectures etc?  

[Glenndale]

Lots of enrichment lectures which we didn’t attend but you could view on cabin TV, same with the evening entertainment which were singers, no dancers. 

We didn’t go to the theatre but watched the shows on TV 🙂

Lots of classical performers scattered around the ship in various bars in the evenings.

Trivia on sea days at 12:30.

The crew were wonderful very like the crew on Saga, nothing was too much trouble. One waiter told us that he felt the guests were a blessing, they so desperately needed to return to work. 
Food obviously very subjective but for me I preferred the food on Saga, especially the specialities. Obviously other opinions will vary. The main restaurant food was a good standard.

There was an Italian restaurant and another which alternated between different menus. 

Wine, beer etc. served at lunch and dinner.

We took the included excursions, a tour around Liverpool which revived memories for my partner who attended Liverpool Institute.

In Falmouth a scenic tour of the county with a short stop near St Michael’s Mount.

We would consider cruising with them again but our preferences are still Oceania and Saga.

Passenger demographic very similar to Saga, but during normal times there would have been a more international clientele.

Of course, we had no transport to the port and no included insurance.

 

Edited June 21, 2021 by Glenndale

[LandC]

That’s very helpful Glenndale, thank you.  Viking’s 10 night fly cruise - Valletta round trip, including ports in Croatia looks interesting.  
 

We are booked on SoD 25th July which is due to sail to Scottish ports, but if the Scottish Government has not lifted their ban on cruise ships by then, we may decide to book something else.

[Glenndale]

9 hours ago, LandC said:

That’s very helpful Glenndale, thank you.  Viking’s 10 night fly cruise - Valletta round trip, including ports in Croatia looks interesting.  
 

We are booked on SoD 25th July which is due to sail to Scottish ports, but if the Scottish Government has not lifted their ban on cruise ships by then, we may decide to book something else.

There is also a repositioning cruise from Portsmouth to Valletta on 3rd July.

It's a gamble though as to whether Malta changes to red and people will have isolate on their return. Prices look reasonable.